1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chainsaws. More particularly, the present invention relates to chainsaws in which the saw blade can be adjusted between various positions. Additionally, the present invention relates to chainsaws that have mechanisms for locking the saw blade in a desired orientation.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
A chainsaw is a portable, mechanical saw which cuts with a set of teeth attached to a rotating chain that runs along a saw blade. Chainsaws are used in activities such as tree felling, limbing, bucking, pruning, to fell snags, to assist in cutting firebreaks in wildland fire suppression, and to harvest firewood. Chainsaws with specially designed blade and chain combinations have been developed as tools for use in chainsaw art and chainsaw mills. Specialized chainsaws are used for cutting concrete. Chainsaws are sometimes used for cutting ice, for example for ice sculpture.
A chainsaw will usually include several components. These components can include an engine, a drive mechanism, a saw blade and a cutting chain. Traditionally, the engine has been a two-stroke internal combustion engine or an electric motor. The drive mechanism is usually formed with a centrifugal clutch and a sprocket. The saw blade is an elongated bar with a round end of wear-resistant alloy steel typically between 16 and 36 inches in length. An edge slot guides the cutting chain. Specialized loop-style bars, called bow bars, were also used at one time for bucking logs and clearing brush. The cutting chain is usually formed of riveted metal sections in the form of a roller chain and features sharp cutting teeth. Each tooth takes the form of a fold so as to have chromium-plated steel with a sharp angular or curved corner and a pair of cutting edges, one on the top plate and one on the side plate. Left-handed and right-handed teeth are alternated on the chain. Chains come in varying pitch and gauge. The pitch of a chain is defined as half of the length spanned by any three consecutive rivets. The gauge is a thickness of the drive link where it fits into the saw blade. A tensioning mechanism is provided as a way to tension the cutting chain so that it neither binds nor comes loose from the guide bar. The underside of each link features a small metal finger called a “drive link” which helps locate the cutting chain on the saw blade and helps to carry lubricating oil around the blade. It is engaged with the drive sprocket of the engine within the body of the saw. The engine drives the cutting chain around the track by a centrifugal clutch so as to engage the chain as engine speed increases under power, but allows it to stop as the engine speed slows to an idle speed.
In the past, such chainsaws have the saw blade extending in longitudinal alignment with the body. As such, it creates a generally linear orientation. This configuration has been used successfully for many years in various sawing applications. Unfortunately, hereinbefore the saw blade has not been adjustable relative to the body of the chainsaw. As such, proper adaptations to carry out various and assorted functions have not been possible with the pre-existing chainsaw. Additionally, these pre-existing chainsaws have various surfaces that make it difficult to precisely align the chainsaw with the surface to be sawed. As such, a need has developed so as to be able to adjust the orientation of the saw blade relative to the body of the chainsaw so as to allow the chainsaw to carry out various functions such as pole saws, reciprocating saws, jigsaws, chainsaws, band saws, hack saws, circular saws, radial saws and chop saws.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to chainsaws. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,350, issued on Nov. 18, 1952 to R. E. Von Ruden, shows a mounting system for chainsaws. A flexible chain is mounted for use off of a motorized tractor or basic piece of farm or industrial equipment to cut by means of a hydraulic actuation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,203, issued on Jan. 16, 1979 to G. Grube, discloses a multiple use chain saw mill. This is a mill for guiding the cutting of a chainsaw and includes a mill frame having a pair of longitudinally-spaced, parallel members joined by a plurality of rod-like runners extending orthogonally therebetween and joined to the lower surfaces thereof. A chainsaw bar is secured subsequent to the mill frame. It is selectively spaced therefrom by a pair of bolts extending through the chainsaw bar to the mill frame. A plurality of tubular spacer members are secured on each bolt between the bar and the mill frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,739, issued on Nov. 18, 1980 to L. W. Hinrichs, discloses a chainsaw accessory. This accessory device is provided for securement to a chainsaw so as to define a fixed predetermined distance of the cutting plane of the saw from an end of the work to be cut. This accessory device allows successive cuts of identical length to be rapidly formed. The accessory includes a plurality of straight cylindrical tubes nested in telescoping relationship in frictional engagement with each other. The desired length can be defined by the extent of telescoping of the tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,862, issued on Jul. 21, 1987 to Wieland et al., teaches a motor-driven chainsaw that is electrically operated by means of a universal motor and has two break systems operating independently of one another. The electrical braking is effected by reversing the polarity of one pole of the coil of the field winding and short circuiting it with the rotor windings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,109, issued on Jul. 25, 1989 to M. A. Kerwin, shows an adapter to convert a chainsaw to a circular saw. This adapter includes a collar secured to both the clutch housing and the hub of the existing chainsaw. The collar is held by a washer and a nut on the chainsaw. The collar is cylindrical and has a concentric opening. The adapter further includes a shaft extension plug threaded into the threaded opening of the collar. The shaft extension plug is for mounting a circular saw blade with a nut on the concentric shaft so as to hold the circular saw blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,896, issued on Jan. 7, 1992 to J. R. Rivera, teaches an adapter for converting a circular saw to a beam cutting chainsaw. The adapter carries a standard cutting chain and includes an attached assembly that is removably connected to the existing slide bars of the saw. The attachment assembly comprises a pivotal hinge and a hinge attachment plate. The hinge and the adjustment plates may be pivoted relative to one another to vary the effective length of the hinge attachment assembly so as to facilitate the connection of the adapter to the sidebars of the saw.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,879, issued on May 13, 2003 to Franke et al., provides a chainsaw adjuster that provides a semi-automatic tension adjustment of a cutting chain of a chainsaw as the links wear with use. A cam biases a tensioner pin to continuously force the guide bar away from the drive sprocket on the engine chassis to tension the chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,585, issued on Jul. 3, 2007 to L. T. McKnight, shows a flip-down chainsaw cutter. A metal frame has at least one wheel attached in a way that permits the frame to be moved from one location to another. A chainsaw is attached to the frame that can be used in more than one cutting position using remote controls attached to the metal frame and controlled by the operator. The operator controls the saw's cutting position either vertically or horizontally with a tension rope that moves the saw to the desired cutting position.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,946,040, issued on May 24, 2011 to Y. Sugishita, provides a chainsaw having a body case in which an engine for driving the chainsaw is accommodated. A top handle is provided on the upper side of the body case. The saw blade extends outwardly of the body case in a fixed position.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0102766, published on May 3, 2012 to Anderson et al., discloses a chainsaw arrangement that includes a saw blade, a cutting chain and a driving unit arranged to drive the cutting chain around the saw blade. The saw blade defines a first longitudinal axis along the center of the saw blade. The chainsaw further includes a handle section for carrying and operating the chainsaw. The handle section includes a control portion disposed on the upper side of the chainsaw.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0117809, published a May 17, 2012 to P. Martinsson, also teaches a chainsaw arrangement in which the chainsaw has an internal combustion engine connected to a crankshaft. The chainsaw is provided with a front handle having a central axis disposed at a distance from the central axis of the crankshaft.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that has multiple configurations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that cuts various materials.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that allows the saw blade to be movable between a linear orientation with respect to the body and to a right angle with respect to the body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that is incrementally adjustable.
It is still another object to provide a chainsaw apparatus that cuts custom curvatures and sawing cutline arcs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that eliminates the need for expensive quick release and attachment accessories, along with external modifications.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that allows for quick adjustment of the orientation of the saw blade with respect to the body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that eliminates negative reversing effects and dulling effects.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus with improved speed and power.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus which, when operated in a position transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body, allows for deeper depth cut lengths and material penetration than conventional jigsaws and circular saws.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that is able to be grasped in a safe and effective manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that avoids awkward cutting angles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that avoids a blocking of the view by the handle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that minimizes potential injuries.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus which prevents the saw blade from being disengaged from the lock-in-place position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus with no removable or interchangeable components or secondary attachment parts.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that allows for cutting and sawing up to a right angle corner joint.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that eliminates the need for bulky storage cases.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that is able to reach hard-to-access locations.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a chainsaw apparatus that allows for cutting and sawing in elevated locations.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.